The Wahpeton times., 1887-12-15

Qeroe1 was and arrest ner, nor W6S ~
st III likely that ] could bluff or
| friehten her into confession. More
over. II wished to know first why she
should care for these missing papers.
That afternoon I strolled to the
cigar store. An elderly German wss
behind the counter. In the evening I
tried it again. No girl was to be seen.
determined to learn something OF
her. / entered and bought some ci-
gars.
keep the store alone?" said ],
casually, as lit my cigar.
'Trade good?"
"Yaw."
"You ought to have pretty girl, to
help you catch the young fellows
trade"
"Yaw."
turned and walked away. Moth
ing to be made there.
watched the store until 1t closed
and half the next day. Then ] was re-
warded. About noon a girl entered,
laid aside her hat and cloak, and took
her place behind thecounter, while the
man went away. When he was well
out OF sight I dropped in and did q
little trading.
It was the same girl. a little nervous
I told myself.
! watched her until the store closed;
then followed her rs she hurried home
ward. She lived two miles away, near
the river shore. in q small, old tene-
ment house.. She climbed to q room
near the roof. followed all the way,
stumbling in the uneven halls, but
looked upon. doubtless, as q new ton.
ant a little way off.
The Girl entered her room, locked
the door and then heard the voices
OF two talking. Evidently she was
conversing with a man.
Imade friends with q half-boozy
bachelor on the floor below, and
found from him that the girl was an
old tenant, but that q man had re.
Gently arrived, who occupied q room
next to her and was called her broth.
er.
I WAITED all night just across the
street from the tenement house.
Early in the dusky dawn 1 saw q
man steal out. I followed him.
He vent straight into the country,
walking fast and covering nearly five
miles before sun.up. I followed all the
way, not near enough to cause sus.
picion, but near enough to watch.
At last the fellow turned into a
piece of woods. hastened, and just
as entered the grove. saw him not
Ear away, bending over a little fire.
AS he heard me coming, he looked
up hastily, hesitated a moment, then
turned and ran.
At first, was impelled to follow,
then something at the fire caught my
eye, and paused.
Papers were burning. Quickly seiz.
ing the bundle-for such it proved to
bel managed to extinguishit while q
still considerable portion remained
unconsumed.
1opened it.
They were all the papers and proofs
in the Harcourt will case-the identi-
cal papers stolen from Abort on the
night Of this murder!
My heart bounded. It was the third
day, but the scent was very warm
now.
returned to the city with all haste,
but by another road, and at noon
was at the cigar store. The girl ap.
peared, and the German disappeared.
Supplied with the torn and bloody
glove, / awaited my chance. and when
the store was empty I entered.
Having first purchased a cigar, ] came
close to the girl, and said in low
tone:
'ls this your glove? Isaw you wear.
ing it q few nights ago." at the same
time presenting to her the kid, stained
as it was.
The girl turned fairly livid, gasped q
little. then whispered:
"Where did you get it?"
In the same Office where the papers
we're stolen and Lawyer Airport was
murdered three nights ago! Isaid."
The poor thing uttered a single
moan, and would have sunk to the
floor if had not caught her. A glass
OF water stood upon q shelf. threw
part of it into her face. Slowly she
opened her eyes.
"Who are you?" she whispered,
hoarssly.
Iopened my coat and showed q star.
She uttered q low shrek.
"A detective! He is lost-lost!"
'.My poor girl" said l, sit is best
Tor you, and him, too, to tell me the
whole truth. Shut the shop and come
with me-"
She obeyed me unresistingly, and I
led her to my own office. There. in
the presence OF a brother officer, she
told her story.
She was the wife-sad fate!-of a
gambler who had sought to personate
the lost heir of the Harcourt estate.
So we'll had he succeeded that when
Alport began to make trouble for him
he determined to get rid Of Alport
and his proof at one blow. Dressed
in his wife's clothes he had visited Al
ports Office and killed him. then
stolen the desired papers. The torn
glove he had doubtless found in the
pocket Of his wife's dress and used to
wipe some slight stain from his hands,
and then carefully dropped it into the
waste-oasket. The papers he mad
taken home and afterwari carried
away to destroy. He passed as his
wife's brother where they lived. She
had known Of the murder after it was
committed. but not before.
"Why did you not tell when you
saw what this man had done?" said l
sternly. "Why did you seek to help
him conceal his crime?"
She looked at me q moment with
wide open eyes; then q great fear
spread over her face.
Gentlemen. / did not dare to. He
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